


Finger Guns

by TheDoctorIsIcecube



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Sheik and Zelda are Twins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-06-02
Packaged: 2018-11-06 09:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11033685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDoctorIsIcecube/pseuds/TheDoctorIsIcecube
Summary: Link has a nervous tic. Sheik has a crush. Zelda has frustration at her brother.





	1. Meeting

“Ah, well, you know how it is,” Link said with an easy grin Sheik knew was probably not easy at all. “Crippling anxiety and fear of failure, just a normal part of my day.” And then he shot finger guns at Sheik like he hadn’t just said an incredibly personal thing in their first conversation.

Sheik, of course, fell in love instantly.

“Yeah,” was all he could think of to say in return. Next to him, Zelda let out a soft snort, and Sheik knew that she knew exactly how he felt. “I, um…I can relate to that.” He sort of could, anyway. But he would say anything to get Link to like him. 

“Cool,” Link said, and Sheik could see the realisation dawning on his face that he’d managed to get really personal very quickly. “Oops. Sorry, I just can’t help it.”

“I don’t mind,” he said, very honestly. He didn’t mind. There was just something about Link… Even when he first set eyes on him he was drawn to him somehow, and Link would probably only get him to hate him if he was right wing or something like that.

“Alright, good. Glad to know someone else is cool with me.” Link laughed nervously, giving Sheik the finger guns again. That really had no right to be as cute as it was. “So, um, are you two twins? You look pretty identical. Except the gender thing.”

“Yes,” Zelda said, barely hiding the embarrassment in her voice. She didn’t really like loud people like Link. “I’m older by fourteen minutes.” Sheik automatically turned to stick his tongue out at her; really, they didn't compete. They were interested in entirely different things.

“That’s cool.” Again with the cool. Sheik had to wonder if Link was always like this, or if it was just a really bad nervous tic. Honestly, it could be either. It was hard to tell after only knowing him for five minutes.

“People are always kinda weird about it,” Sheik said. “Because we’re related but I guess we don’t look it?”

“You do,” Link said, and Sheik noticed that his hands were shaking a little. Must be rough to be so nervous about a normal conversation. “You have the same hair.”

“If you say so. I’m, um… I need to go and get my lunch, so I’ll leave you with Zelda for a minute.” Link looked a little apprehensive about that, and Sheik smiled apologetically and went to run and buy himself some sandwiches, taking as little time as possible.

When he got back, Link was gone. “He said he needed to go to the bathroom,” Zelda said. “I did try to tell him he didn't need to go and you’d be back soon, but he wouldn’t listen. He left his bag.”

“Well, that at least means he intends to come back,” Sheik said, shrugging. He sat down and opened his sandwiches, only just now bothering to check which flavour he’d actually bought. ‘Ham’, the label said. Well, that was refreshingly unpretentious.

Zelda looked at it. “I thought you were going to be vegetarian,” she said. Sheik looked at it again and shrugged. 

“I don’t want to waste it,” he said. He’d already bought it, after all. Wasting food was worse than eating meat. “Maybe Link’ll want it?”

“He brought his own food,” Sheik said, glancing into Link’s bag. “Oh well, I’ll eat them anyway. I can start being vegetarian tomorrow.” He took the first sandwich out and started eating.

Zelda laughed. “You are the worst Sheikah ever,” she said. “I’m better at it than you.”

“I have the red eyes!” Sheik protested. “And I’m gay, so I’m like a really authentic Sheikah like from the myths.”

“I’m not exactly straight, little brother,” she said with a smile. “Though I won’t exactly be doing it like they do in the myth you’re referring to.”

“I might be,” Sheik said with a grin, glancing over at Link as he returned from the bathroom. Zelda looked over her shoulder to see who he was looking at, and rolled her eyes.

“You are hopeless, little brother.” Sheik just winked at her and turned to face Link a little more as he came back to sit next to them.

“Have a nice piss?” Sheik asked with a small smile.

“Yup,” Link nodded, and shot him finger guns again before blushing slightly. He’d probably realised he kept doing it, but Sheik really didn't mind.

“Good to hear.” Sheik carried on with his sandwiches, and Link dug his own lunch out of his bag. Zelda, as usual, had also brought her own lunch, because she was more responsible and found time to pack food in the mornings instead of just grabbing money.

“Uh, which other subjects do you do?” Link asked. They’d met in Music Tech, and Sheik had honestly felt so sorry for Link sitting silently on his own that he’d invited him to eat lunch with him.

“English Literature and History,” Sheik explained. “Zelda does all three sciences, and Maths. She’s the nerd of the family, and I’m the one who my parents probably expect to start doing drugs at some point.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Link said with a grin. Sheik probably should have had someone nervous like Link pinned for being inclined to take drugs, but he hadn’t really got that impression when they were talking. “I’m not cool enough or rich enough for drugs, but History essays demand at least cannabis if you want to stay sane.”

“That’s true. Unfortunately, I’m Sheikah so I don’t do drugs. Well...half Sheikah. I got all the Sheikah looks, as you can tell.” He motioned to Zelda and then back to himself. They really couldn’t have looked less like twins if they tried.

“Is that a thing?” Link asked, and Sheik nodded. “Like, a religious thing? My parents are religious and all that, but I’m too gay for it honestly.” He was picking at the sandwich in his hands and Sheik felt like he should change the topic of conversation, but he probably couldn’t do that without looking really obvious.

“Yeah, sort of. Technically, I’m also supposed to be vegetarian and drink nothing but water and spend three hours a day meditating, but there’s just not time for that. As you can probably tell,” he said, motioning to his ham sandwich.

“Yet, somehow, I manage it,” Zelda said with a small smile. “And I take more subjects than you.”

“I’m an arts student, I’m more stressed than you,” he said, sticking his tongue out, and Link cheered quietly in a sort of affirmation.

“Meditation is the bit that helps with stress, Sheik,” she said. “And it actually does help, so don’t you go telling me you’re too busy being stressed.”

“I try,” Sheik said, looking back at Link who was actually smiling now. “I’m just out of the habit. I only drink water, though, so I’m sort of halfway there? One third. And I have time to meditate for an hour and I do pray every night before I go to bed.”

“I’m sure the goddesses appreciate your efforts,” Link said shyly. “My grandmother is Sheikah, so I know a little bit about your religion, and, um...yeah.” More finger guns. Zelda sighed softly, and Sheik just smiled. He found that habit adorable. “It’s better than what my parents follow but I guess I don’t know much about beliefs and stuff. The temple tells them that the internet makes children queer and mentally ill, though I guess they think that’s the same thing, so they don’t have it at home, yet here I am anyway.”

“Oh,” Sheik said, not quite sure what to make of that. He knew how awful some religions could be, but he’d never come face-to-face with someone raised in an environment like that. “That’s...that doesn’t sound very good.”

“Hey, I can live without wifi,” he said with a grin. “Old religious people don’t know what phone data is so I just have to ration it very carefully and stay at college as long as possible every evening.”

“Fair enough.” Finishing his sandwiches, Sheik glanced back up towards the cafeteria. He still had some money left- those unpretentious ham sandwiches had cost less than the usual avocado and quorn salad or whatever other weird things people put in sandwiches. “Does anyone want cookies?”

“I live for sugar,” Link said with more finger guns, and Sheik just smiled at him. Fuck, he was in love, and Link was gay. The odds were getting better and shit Sheik didn't know why he was so attracted to an overly nervous, gangly teenager with an outdated meme for a nervous tic, but he was.


	2. Essay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheik goes to Link's so they can write an essay, it goes better than he planned.

It was two weeks into their friendship when Sheik found himself being invited around to Link’s house (it had taken two instances of finger-gunning before he got the invitation out), and Sheik’s crush still hadn’t lessened at all. If anything, it had grown larger.

“My parents probably won’t like you much,” Link said, and then quickly explained more, “but that’s the idea. I don’t like them and because I’m one quarter Sheikah they’re really touchy about it. Don’t ask me why they hate Sheikah, but they’re racist shits and I- please say yes.”

“Surely one of your parents must be half Sheikah,” Sheik pointed out. “They hate their own heritage?” Link nodded, shrugging.

“I never said my parents made much sense. They’re obnoxious. I live to annoy them.” More finger guns. “My mum is half Sheikah but she didn't get on with her parents at all or something. I don’t care, honestly. Will you come? Sorry.”

“Of course I’ll come. Anything to annoy your parents.” And anything to spend more time with Link, perhaps even to admit his feelings for him. Although that was very unlikely, seeing as they were both nervous people. He was starting to realise that Link was a lot more nervous than him, though, because he just hid it all away and never had anyone to trust and people tended to avoid him like the plague unless they were Sheik. Even Zelda wasn’t a huge fan.

“Thanks,” Link said, and halfway through finger guns he changed his mind and gave Sheik an awkward hug instead. That was...unexpected. But in a very good way. There was no way that Sheik was going to complain about a hug like that. 

-

After college, they met up outside, and Link walked Sheik back to his house. He was full of nervous chatter on the way, and several more finger guns. Sheik wondered how Link’s parents didn't know that he was horrifically anxious all the fucking time. Because he knew that everyone else knew it.

“Link, I know it’s impossible, but chill a bit? We’re going to sit, watch TV while doing homework, and then I’m going to try and teach you how to meditate.” 

“I know, I know. I just don’t want my parents to yell at you. It’s a real possibility, they did it to a friend of mine when we were only eight.” Link bit his lip. “But you- you’re probably taller than both of my parents. You can stand up for yourself.” Finger guns.

“How do- I’m sorry, this is probably a very rude and insensitive question, but how do your parents not know that you’re constantly nervous?” He asked. Because honestly, it was ridiculous. If he was talking to a teacher, he practically vibrated.

“I’m a bit different around them,” Link said. His voice was a little quieter as he said that. “I’ll be normal most of the time, it’s just when they’re there, I- can’t.” He attempted a smile, and Sheik smiled back at him, resisting the urge to hold his hand.  
“I understand,” he said gently. Link turned a corner and Sheik followed, letting himself be led up a tree-lined road. Link paused in front of a white-painted house with ivy crawling up the front of it.

“This is my house. Beautiful on the outside, poisonous on the inside. Just like that ivy.” Finger guns again. “My parents aren’t home, so you can put your feet on the sofas until my mum walks through the door. Please do, it’s more comfortable and looks less like we hate sitting there.”

“You should come to my house next week,” Sheik said. “Everything is old, but in a good way, and my parents aren’t very strict. I bet my mum would adopt you if you smiled sweetly when you asked.”

“If you’re being serious, I might just take you up on that.” Link did a nervous half-jog up to the front door, then dug a key out of his pocket to unlock it. “Here we are. Leave your shoes by the door or my mum really will get mad.”

“That’s just common decency,” Sheik said, kicking his shoes off at the door and tossing his bag in the direction of the stairs. “Are we starting the History stuff straight away, or do you want a moment?”

“Gonna go to the bathroom,” Link said, shooting finger guns and being predictable as always. He went to the bathroom incredibly frequently and Sheik was pretty sure it was for deep breathing purposes, but he wasn’t going to call Link out on something he felt comfortable doing.

Sheik waited around for Link, idly looking around the house as he did so. Everything inside was very white, with the occasional well-kept green plant resting on a tabletop or windowsill. Much the same as outside, really. Except inside felt more like one of those weird showhomes that estate agents sometimes took you to, where you could get in trouble for touching anything. Sheik couldn’t imagine the fairly erratic (and absolutely adorable) Link living here. He could barely imagine anyone living here at all.

“I’m back,” Link said, announcing his presence with more finger guns. If Sheik had learnt anything about Link over the past two weeks, it was that the finger guns were a nervous tic and Link was very self conscious about being unable to stop himself. “Time for homework?”

“Yep. Where’s your bedroom?” Before Sheik had even finished the sentence, Link was jumping up the stairs, and Sheik quickly followed after him. Link pushed open a door, and the sudden transition of colour was almost a shock after all of that white. Everything in Link’s room was bright blue and green, and a little chaotic. It was perfect.

Link let out a soft sigh and immediately went to sit on his bed, which had more cushions than Sheik could count. “This is my only space in the house,” he explained, and Sheik nodded. He could see Link’s influence here. “You can sit on the bed if you want, do I need my laptop?”

“It would probably be a good idea, if I’m going to help you write an essay.” Link sprung off the bed again, going to fetch a laptop from on top of his desk. Sheik perched on the edge of the bed, leaning back a little just for safety as Link leapt onto the bed as well. “So. What’s the question?”

“What were the main causes of the Gerudo Rebellion of 1872?” Link said. “Classic question, really easy, but I’m just…” He trailed off, but Sheik understood. Link said he hadn’t been struggling this much with focusing before the summer and he just needed a couple pointers.

“First off, oppression by the Hylian government. Taxation, slavery, all those lovely things. Then you have their leader at the time, Riju IV? She was really warlike. Without her, it probably wouldn’t have come to a rebellion for another fifty years. And if you want to stretch it, there were exceptionally bad sandstorms that year, meaning that the Gerudo crops failed, and the Hylian government wouldn’t provide them with more food.” Sheik paused, glancing over at Link. “Are you writing this down?”

“Oops,” Link said, jumping. “I got distracted by- sorry, I’ve got it.” He started typing. “So that’s, what, three paragraphs? Military, economic, and social causes of the rebellion.” That was a really good way to put it, and Sheik was surprised even though he probably shouldn’t have been. Link was smart, he just didn't act smart in the Zelda way.

“Exactly,” he said with a smile. “You’ve got it. Do you need any more help? Your conclusion should just summarise the causes, maybe point out which one was the most important.” Sheik reached into his bag, pulling out his own laptop. “We can write the essay at the same time.”

“Get me back on task if I start getting distracted?” Link asked, and Sheik nodded. That was half the reason he was here, honestly. Zelda said it was silly to baby Link like this, but he didn't think she understood the way he felt. Zelda was blessed with fantastic mental health, which made it hard to deal with being the failure twin, but he didn't really mind. She was incredibly supportive.

“Let’s get to it,” Sheik said happily, opening up a document and starting to write his introduction. Essays were always a little bit calming to write, somehow, as long as he knew what he was doing. Half an hour passed in silence, with only one brief break in the middle for Sheik to get Link back on task when the sound of typing slowed to a halt. 

This was the first essay of the year, but he was feeling pretty confident by the time it was done. He had all his notes, he’d used dates and analysis and all of that. He was sure it could be better, but he had time, and it was nice to actually make a start. There was something really great about doing new learning and stepping things up to the next level.

And then there was the sound of a key sliding into a lock, and the front door opened. Link groaned, his toes curling where they were tucked under his legs. “That’s my mum,” he said quietly. “Should we tell her you’re here?”

“Probably,” Sheik said quietly, and he saw Link almost visibly deflate. “Won’t she want to say hi to you anyway? She’s been out all day and so have you.”

“Why would she do that?” Link whispered back, and Sheik looked at him. Link’s parents really were bad at parenting and actually treating Link like he was cared for.

“Because parents generally want to check that their child isn’t dead,” Sheik whispered back. “Do you just sit up here every night until your mum calls you for food or something?” Link nodded.

Sheik frowned at that, but he didn't say anything more on the matter. It was probably best to just avoid the subject completely for now. “Let’s just- um, I’ll finish this essay and then I’ll go introduce you,” Link said quietly.

“Alright…” Sheik was still dubious, but he sat back and let Link get back to work. He could hear Link’s mother moving around downstairs- making a drink, by the sounds of things, and then going into the living room to drink it. Fairly normal activities for someone who Link had described so negatively, but Sheik knew that not everyone was what they seemed at first. Abusive parents didn't just scream at their kids all day, after all.

Link seemed to be taking an awfully long time to finish his essay- there were pauses in between every few seconds of keyboard clicks. This wasn't exactly great, but Sheik couldn't bring himself to say anything about it. After ten minutes, Sheik felt like he had to intervene. "Link, you can leave it," he said. "Really, we were only set it today and we have ten days, so we can do it at college tomorrow if you're finding it too hard to concentrate."

"Alright, alright." Link looked very much nervous. "When I go and introduce you to my mum, what do I say? I don't know how to do it..."

"I'm your boyfriend," Sheik said without thinking. Then he clapped his hand over his mouth. "Sorry- I know you can't say that. I didn't think. Um." Link was staring at him open mouthed.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend?" Link's voice was small; no sign of finger guns just yet. Sheik wasn't sure if they would show up at all during this conversation. Oh, goddesses, he had messed up.

"I- if you do. If you want to, yes?" His voice got higher as the sentence progressed. "Yes. If you're asking, yes. If you don't mind. Frick. Are you okay? I should be checking that. I'm sorry, this is awful. Yes. Will you be my boyfriend?"

"I will," Link said shyly. He looked down at his lap, then smiled and shot finger guns at Sheik. Alright, maybe he had been wrong. Link's nervous tic got everywhere.

But he didn't care. He really didn't care, because he felt like he was a little bit in love with Link already. Nervousness and shitty parents and all, he wanted Link for who he was. Whether that who he was happened to be perfect or deeply flawed or struggling or thriving or anything. "Maybe don't introduce me as your boyfriend, though," he said with a laugh, and Link shrugged. 

"What's the worst that could happen?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are greatly appreciated if you liked this :) the Sheik/Link section of the fandom is very small when compared to a certain other big pairing involving a fish. Myself (StevetheIcecube if you're interested in seeing more!) and coauthor really like this au and we might write some more if the mood takes us.
> 
> We're also currently working on a post BotW Link/Sheik fic if anyone is interested in that!


End file.
